Gardeners always have a wish list. Novice gardeners may need basic kit, like decent strong gloves, the single most useful accessory. Old hands will appreciate more sophisticated tools – a grow-house for protecting tender seedings, or a really good loppers if they’ve got shrubs to deal with.
Quality secateurs make great presents – I find one isn’t enough – and the Niwake range from Japanese steel, is among the best. For tools like these, it’s really worth investing in the best manufacturers, and taking the trouble to maintain the tools; cheap tools are a false economy if you have to replace them repeatedly. But if you are on a budget, there are lots of useful gadgets that don’t cost the earth: a Ph monitor, for instance, to establish whether soil is acid or alkaline is an obvious tool when it comes to choosing plants, but most people don’t possess one.
